By TIM BIRNEYTioga County Sports Report
SPENCER / CANDOR — The Spencer-VanEtten / Candor (SVEC) boys soccer program has enjoyed a great deal of success over the years, but with a young team in tow in 2025, longtime coach Jason Banks is taking a more guarded approach.
"We are a young group with great numbers," he said. "This season, we are just looking at taking everything one practice and one game at a time.
"Our season goal is just keep improving and getting better each day.
"Our strength this year is youth," noted Banks. "Whatever we build this year, we will have a strong core of returning players for the next few years.
"We are not going in to the season with any expectations," he added. "We want to boys to stay motivated everyday to keep improving."
Banks is also very happy to have Gary Holmes back in the fold as part of the coaching staff.
"I am excited that Coach Holmes has come back to join the coaching staff," he said.
"We are both excited to see the interest from the boys in the SVEC soccer program.
"With more than 20 players on varsity and 25 on modified, we know with some effort and consistency, the program has a bright future," Banks added.
Brennan Zimmer will start in the net for the Eagles in 2025, with Sirron Irvin serving as backup.
Connor Hunt, Gavin Bates, Oscar Valdez-Cole, and Ryan Ackerly will get the starting nods on defense, with Gage Spencer, Logan Smith, Wyatt Anderson and William Thayer-Scholl vying for time off the bench.
Clayton Bower, Kyle Jantz, Nathan Morse, and Keegan McKeon will start in the midfield, with Michael Smith Jr., Ethan Ammack, Tyler Decker, and Case McKeon vying for time off the bench.
Xavier Beach and Taylor Vanderpoel will start at the forward spots, with Mason Bensley also likely to see time there.
Banks says Kyle Jantz and newcomer Ryan Ackerly are players to keep an eye.
"Kyle Jantz is a returning first-team IAC all-star, and Ryan Ackerly will be a good addition to our defensive backline."
While Banks is excited by his team's youth, he knows it will result in some bumps in the road.
"Our inexperience is going to be a challenge this year," he said. "We are going to take some bumps as the boys learn to play the game the way we have in the past."
AROUND THE IAC LARGE SCHOOL SOUTH / SECTION IV, CLASS C
"The division is up in the air this year for sure," said Banks. "We have a new team in Thomas Edison, and we are anticipating both Elmira Notre Dame, and Watkins Glen to be tough challenges for us this year.
"We are class C this year," noted Banks. "Our merged team is always around the cut-off numbers for Class C and B.
"Both classes are very strong in Section IV," he added. "From what I saw last year Lansing, Trumansburg, Marathon and Souther Cayuga will all be very competitive going into Sectionals from the IAC."
SVEC opens the 2025 campaign at home Wednesday against Whitney Point.
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IN PHOTO: SVEC's Kyle Jantz. ... TCSR STOCK PHOTO.
